The past two years have been a struggle for me, and I know it has been a struggle for so many of you. I continue to use my voice and fight for what I believe in, and I've made a promise to myself I will never stop.

I am a 17-year-old Senior at Spring Grove Area High-school in Pennsylvania. I am a feminist, I've been one since I could understand the inequality women have faced and still face today. Being a feminist, which mind you is very difficult in a very conservative high-school and community, has made me who I am today.

I am the editor in chief of a very progressive student run newspaper at my school, and also in charge of the opinion section. Every month in an edition, I rebel against most of the beliefs at my school.

My past articles have included rape culture and how the Trump administration perpetrates it, sexism and inequality in the workplace, women's reproductive rights including enlightenment on the female body and periods, and one article I even added a graphic of a uterus on the front cover.

Needless to say, my articles have continued to push the boundaries of my school, the parents and the community members. There has been countless complaints, and even the burning of my articles.

I still continue to push forward because if I can get my article to enlighten at least one person, then I am helping win the fight against ignorance and bigotry.

Also this past year, in my community, I have organized over 10 protests to try to remove a school board member from my Spring Groves school board. My fight started about two years ago, when a school board member, Matthew Jansen, called a local church anonymously and was intolerant to the pastor there about a sign he had posted wishing neighboring Muslims a happy Ramadan.

The board member called the Muslim faith godless and pagan, he said he didn't see the Muslim faith or belief as legit, and he called the sign despicable. He asked the pastor what was wrong with him for putting such a sign up.

Once the phone call came to light, I organized protests for community members to come join me in protesting the member from still being on the school board after the blatant intolerance he showed.

A few months after that incident, I was still protesting his removal and doing everything in my power to try to fight for what was right. Then, another incident happened. He tweeted out a racist term to describe people of the Mexican heritage.

I immediately saw it, and I messaged him back, asking him, why do you think this is acceptable? I organized another protest to try to continue to get him off the school board, and over 50 people showed up and support. I can still remember this day. So many community members and surrounding community members came and resisted against his bigotry.

Many newscasts showed up and interviewed me so I could get the word out about the intolerance that the spring grove high school and the community were facing by Jansen not stepping down.

I could see that the discrimination was hurting my school and my community.

Through all of this I have gotten hate mail delivered to my house, threatening messages on social media, and street harassment. But I continued to persist, and it all paid off the end. I still live in a conservative community and go to a conservative school, but the spring grove school board member stepped down about two months ago and it was the biggest accomplishment I have ever had.

Even though it wasn't directly because of my actions, I feel like the persistence paid off. I feel like my persistence and resistance impacted my community in more words than I can describe.

And even with the discrimination women face every single day, I hope each and every one of you knows that you can make a difference.

Me, a 17-year-old progressive feminist who has to fight every single day to make her voice heard made a difference. We have to be progressive and keep on persisting and we will all make changes, for the better.

I want to share my story with as many people as I can in hopes that it will make people want to persist and speak up for what is right and what is wrong in the world.

Although it has been difficult and my journey still continues as a fighter and a feminist, I am now stronger than ever and I would like to be given the chance to empower as many women and progressive citizens as I can.

I have dreams that one day, women, different ethnicities, different religions, and different sexual identities will no longer be pushed into the ground and silenced.

In my future I see that one day, every single one of us standing here right now will no longer have fears against the administration, because we will realize how powerful we are when we come together and resist.

It is our time to rise up and become the powerful, progressive citizens we truly are.

And I will leave you with this quote from an anonymous survivor; I hope that by speaking today, you absorbed a small amount of light, a small knowing that you can't be silenced, a small satisfaction that justice was served, a small reassurance that we are getting somewhere, and a big, big knowing that you are important, unquestionably, you are untouchable, you are beautiful, you are to be valued, respected, undeniably, every minute of every day, you are powerful and nobody can take that away from you.

Katie Wagner from Alexandria, Va., taking part in the Women's March on Washington in the streets of the nation's capital a day after Donald Trump's inauguration as the 45th president. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Teal Dodrill attaches her protest sign to a fence lining the green at the National Civil Rights Museum after an estimated crowd of over 9,000 people marched along Second Street from the Shelby County Courthouse during the Memphis Women's March as cities all over the country host similar protests in the wake of President Donald Trump's inauguration. Some speculate that it could be the largest march the city has seen since the Civil Rights marches of the 1960s. Jim Weber, The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal, via USA TODAY Network

Taya Winter, left, of Bellingham, Wash., and her daughter Alexa Barket of Tallahassee, Fla., join thousands of other women to show their solidarity at the Women's March on Washington. Suchat Pederson, USA TODAY

Shalom Rosen, 4, of Phoenix, participates in an equal rights march at the Arizona state Capitol. The rally was timed to show solidarity with the women's march taking place in Washington, D.C., a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president. Cheryl Evans, The Republic, via USA TODAY Network

Joyce Bear and Chris Gleason of Yorktown Heights were among the those who took the train into New York City to take part in the Women's March, which started near the United Nations and ended in front of Trump Tower on 5th Ave. Seth Harrison, The Journal News via USA TODAY Network

Sara Shapiro, 18, from Hillary Clinton's hometown of Chappaqua, N.Y., was among the thousands who marched in New York City during the Women's March. Seth Harrison, The Journal News via USA TODAY Network

Sarah Scott protests outside of Trump Tower in Chicago, Illinois. Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in protest after the inauguration of President Donald Trump. John Gress, Getty Images

Protesters display their signs in Washington during the Women's March. Hundreds of thousands of people flooded US cities Saturday in a day of women's rights protests to mark President Donald Trump's first full day in office. Joshua Lott, AFP/Getty Images

People gather at Judkins Park during the Women's March in Seattle on January 21, 2017. Led by women in pink "pussyhats," hundreds of thousands of people packed the streets of Washington and other cities Saturday. Jason Redmond, AFP/Getty Images

People gather for a Women's March and rally to protest President Donald J. Trump the day after he was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States, in Washington, DC,. Large crowds were expected for the event. Justin Lane, European Pressphoto Agency

People gather on the Ellipse near the White House for the Women's March and rally to protest President Donald J. Trump the day after he was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. Michael Reynolds, European Pressphoto Agency

Thousands of people take part in the Women's March in New York City. The Midtown Manhattan event was one of many anti-Trump protests nationwide that came a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. John Moore, Getty Images